Pouring spout

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved pouring spout for pouring liquid from an enclosed container and adapted to be sealingly located within a discharge opening in the container, the spout being moveable to a fully retracted position within the container when a closure is sealingly engaged with the discharge opening, the spout being further moveable to a fully extended position outside the container when the closure is removed from the discharge opening prior to a pouring operation.

I claim: 
     
       1. A pouring spout for pouring liquid from an enclosed container having a discharge opening therein, said spout comprising: a body section including a bottom wall, a sidewall and an open top, said body section sealingly locatable within said discharge opening and having an aperture of lesser diameter than said body section extending through said bottom wall for providing an opening into the container when said body section is sealingly located within said discharge opening; an upstanding annular flange integral with said body and surrounding said aperture and defining with the sidewall of the body section a trough, a pouring tube passing through said aperture in said body section so that, when said body section is sealingly located within said discharge opening, said pouring tube is movable through said aperture in said body section from a fully retracted position wherein said pouring tube is located mainly within the container to a fully extended position wherein said pouring tube is located mainly outside the container, the arrangement being such that a liquid tight seal is maintained around said aperture in said body section for all positions of movement of said pouring tube between said fully retracted position and said fully extended position; vent means passing through said body section and communicating with said trough so as to allow air to pass from the outside to the inside of the container when said body section is sealingly located within said discharge opening; said vent means comprising an opening in the bottom of said trough, a hollow vent member communicating with said opening and depending from the bottom of said trough, an outlet tube connected to said hollow vent member, a vent tube fitted over said outlet tube, said vent member, outlet tube and said vent tube being disposed wholly within said container when said pouring spout is assembled therewith, said trough receiving any liquid trapped in said vent means which would normally spill when said container is tilted for a pouring operation, closure means for forming a liquid tight seal across said discharge opening when said pouring tube is in said fully retracted position and the container is not required for a pouring operation so that, in operation, said closure means is removed from said discharge opening and said pouring tube is moved from said fully retracted position to said fully extended position whereupon the container may be tilted to allow liquid to pass therefrom through said pouring tube under the pressure of air entering the container through said vent means, said pouring spout being readily removable from one container and used for connection to another container. 
     
     
       2. A pouring spout as claimed in claim 1, further comprising resilient means to normally bias said pouring tube to said fully extended position so that said pouring tube is moved against the force of said resilient means into said fully retracted position when said closure means is sealingly engaged with said discharge opening. 
     
     
       3. A pouring spout as claimed in claim 2, wherein said resilient means is a compression spring acting between said body section and a flange formed at one end of said pouring tube. 
     
     
       4. A pouring spout as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tube is directed substantially away from said discharge opening so that the exposed end of said tube is maintained substantially above the level of liquid in the container for all tilting angles thereof while pouring. 
     
     
       5. A pouring spout as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body section is adapted to a push-fit into said discharge opening.